The Man of Steel
by Starpenmusic
Summary: A Superman reboot story. Meet Lois Lane, an eighteen year old trying to intern at the daily planet while trying to avoid the advancements of Luthor and figure out life in Metropolis. Clark Kent on the other hand has an entirely different agenda. HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: So, this is my baby, dumb I know but I waited forever to upload it. So, please review! Good, bad or completely random. Any review makes my day **_

*_**Chapter One***_

_POV: Lois Lane_

I was falling. Tears squeezed from my eyes, blurring the ground that was rushing towards me rapidly. I opened my mouth to scream but nothing came out. _Please let it be a dream._ I prayed to myself, even though I knew it was reality. If it had been a dream, then I wouldn't still be quickly dropping hundreds of feet. No, I knew this was real. The air was too sharp and cold and seemed to be pulling me in every direction. My thick black hair flew wildly around my face, sticking to my eyes and lipstick. I was going to die. _There wasn't many feet left until I became a pancake on the sidewalk. _I closed my eyes and braced myself. _Then it was even a fewer amount of space between me and the ground._ The Metropolis cityscape grew larger below me. Then, it wasn't below. Skyscraper rushed up around me, blocking out the sun. It was so beautiful.

People's shrieks rose over the howling wind. They all knew what was happening. Lois Lane was going to die, Superman had forsaken her. I pushed the thought from my head. If I had mere seconds to live then I didn't want to waste them thinking that Superman had left me for dead. He wouldn't have done that to me. I had almost died dozens of times, but he had always stepped in. There had to be a reason why he wasn't here now.

Then the wind stopped screaming and the peoples voices hushed. Everything was still, and one thing stuck out to me. I was no longer falling. Why wasn't I pushing daisies? I carefully pried my eyes open; I was lying flat on my back on some sort of metal platform, the ground not twenty feet below. What in the world? Slowly the platform began to lower. This was all too strange. Superman had never saved me this way, not once. The platform clunked onto the ground and I shakily rose to my feet. A throng of surprised people stood around me, a general murmur of fear and excitement echoed around. I craned my neck to look up. The plane I had been pushed out of flew above, dodging a red and blue blur_. _

_He had actually chosen not to save me._ But what had? It was almost normal for me to be kidnapped now, as 'love interest' of Superman, nearly every thug, crook and metahuman couldn't wait to get their hands on me. All I wanted was to get a good article on him. As a teen intern at the Daily Planet newspaper, I had a lot on the line. The strange platform that had saved me began to vibrate. I stumbled off of it. The world seemed to sway beneath my feet and I toppled to the side. A police officer rushed from the crowd and caught me. "Don't worry Miss Lane." He assured me. "A fall like that would make anyone shaky on their feet." I just nodded and smoothed my hair down, hoping that he wouldn't see how embarrassed I was. I held onto the officer's arm as we watched the fight above. I still couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

Had Superman seriously just left me for dead? After a few hair raising minutes the fight ended and Superman gracefully swooped towards the ground. He completed a few interviews and answered publicity questions. I stared at him in shock. I wasn't easily shocked either. To score an internship at the Daily Planet when you're only eighteen was huge and only two other people had accomplished that. Out of the three of us, I was definitely the one who could think best on my feet. Clark Kent and Jimmy Olson were another story though.

I examined Superman, who was definitely good looking. I was eighteen, and he definitely didn't seem much older. His black blue hair swooped over his cerulean blue eyes and the skin tight spandex suit? It didn't leave much to the imagination to say the least. Though, not even his abs was enough to appease me right now. I had almost died, and he didn't even check to make sure I was okay? I recounted my day back to myself. I had been walking home from the Planet, only to have a bag shoved over my head. The next thing I knew I was hog tied on a plane, thousands of feet in the air. The grinning goon had smiled and told me to hang on tight until Superman had arrived. Than he had come like always, except for the fact that he had ignored me. He hadn't even flinched when they had thrown me past him out the plane door.

Now, here he was being all Mr. Perfect and acting like I didn't even exist. The metal plate that had saved me still lay on the ground. I tentatively went and examined it. The thing seemed sturdy. Well, it had been sturdy enough to save me. "It's a nice piece of technology isn't it?" A deep voice boomed above me. No, it couldn't be. I looked up only to see Lex Luthor smiling deviously. Other than that you could call him handsome with his thick brown locks and intense pale eyes. He was charming, rich and muscular. He wasn't that ugly either. Two years my senior, Lex was also student at Met U but was incredibly arrogant. Not to mention tyrannical. "This is yours?" I asked in shock. Luthor nodded proudly and pulled me to my feet. "You like it?" He asked cockily. I cleared my throat. "Thank you Lex." I said stiffly. Lex frowned. "I just saved your life Lois. Superman left you to die, but I made sure you were safe." I nodded. "Yes, I know that. I also thanked you for your help." Lex grabbed my arm. "Is that it?" I gave a terse smile. "Yes, that is it." He scowled and let go of my arm before turning to storm through the crowd.

"What's his problem?" A childlike voice asked behind me. I turned to find Jimmy Olsen standing behind me, intently flipping through the photos on his camera. "Oh, well Lex saved my life and a simple thanks wasn't good enough." I said flatly. Jimmy chuckled. "He probably would have been a lot friendlier if you had puckered up your pretty red lips and gave him a big one." I playfully shoved Jimmy. "Not ever." I laughed. Jimmy Olsen was an odd character, with bright red hair that stuck off his head in every direction and pale skin dotted with freckles. To say the least, Jimmy was a nerd but he was a heck of a photographer despite his age of seventeen.

He gave me a small smile. "So, why did Luthor need to save you? Where was the Big Blue?" Suddenly, the shock of seeing Lex wore off and my anger at Superman returned. "Who do you mean? Good old Supey? He left me to plunge to my death." Jimmy's large emerald eyes were puzzled behind his horned rim glasses. "That's not possible. Superman always rescues you, even if it means the bad guy gets away because of it." He said indignantly. "I do not need rescuing!" I protested. Jimmy snorted. "Of course not Lois, you definitely had everything figured out." I just scowled and crossed my arms. Superman was Jimmy's idol, and in Jimmy's mind he could do no wrong. Jimmy turned to gaze at Superman with adoration. "I'm sure he had it under control." Jimmy said as he raised his camera and rushed over to where Superman was.

I could only sigh. Something had happened on that aircraft, but I didn't know what. Maybe he had gotten sick of me being a damsel and decided to just let me die and save the time of saving me? His hair glinted in the light and for a split second all I wanted was for him to wrap his thick, muscular arms around me. But it only lasted a short time and once again I just glared at him. Suddenly, Superman's head snapped up as if he could sense my gaze. He scanned the crowd before his eyes landed on me. "Lois!" I heard him call. I turned to push through the crowd. We weren't going to make a scene here. I heard heavy footfalls behind me and felt a strong hand grip my shoulder.

"Lois."

He repeated. I spun, around, cheeks red and eyes bright with anger. "What? What do you want?" He looked confused. "I wanted to ask you something. But that doesn't matter. Did I make you mad?" He seemed so innocent and unknowing, despite the fact that he could've crushed me with his pinkie finger. "Did you make me mad?" I sputtered. "I was thrown out a plane Superman; a_ plane._ Right in front of you! And you just let me fall. If Luthor hadn't been there, than guess what? I would be _dead!" _ Superman jerked backwards as if I had hit him. By now, everyone who had stuck around was watching us in a hushed silence. "Lois, I didn't know you were ever in that plane. I would've caught you, just like always. By the time I got to that plane, there were only two thugs there." He explained hurriedly. I felt my eyes well up.

"Honestly? You act like you're _SO_ perfect but I nearly die and you lie about it? You're disgusting." I snapped before pushing through the crowd. Judging by the crowd's response, I'm sure I would've seen a very confused superhero had I turned around.


	2. Chapter 2

_*****__**Chapter Two***_

_POV: Lois Lane_

I scribbled furiously. Page after page began to fill up with my slanted scrawl. Journaling had always helped me through hard times.

Like when my parents would have us transferred to a new army facility. My father, General Sam Lane, had been moved to so many stations while I was younger that I had never gotten to actually settle down. So I had turned to journaling life around me. It could be anything. When I wrote, nobody told me to shut up or to go away because they were busy.

Dad was a workaholic, and when he wasn't working he was gruff and removed. I knew he loved me; he just had a different way of expressing it. Mom was the polar opposite. She was elegant and sophisticated, with smelly perfume and ears dripping with diamonds. She certainly didn't have time for her runny nosed children. I have no idea how they managed to be married for so long. It probably was only for the sake of Lucy and me. When they finally divorced I was thirteen, and my sister Lucy was eleven.

I hadn't talked to Lucy in a few months. There was a reason though. As soon as I turned eighteen, I left the military base and headed for Metropolis. Lucy was only sixteen, and technically still considered a minor, so I couldn't bring her with me. She was heartbroken. I felt awful, but Lucy had always been better at the changes than I had. At least she could flirt with soldiers if she got bored.

Lucy Lane may have been a blood sibling, but we were nothing alike. While I had thick black hair like my father once had, Lucy had my mom's long golden locks. She had also inherited my mom's big, innocent blue eyes and knockout looks. Not to mention sparkling and outgoing personality. Even her name seemed perky. All of my life, I had believed that I had been cheated by DNA. Lucy resembled my mom, but my dad and I shared many characteristics, such as his sullen and stubborn personality and hot head. Our large chocolate brown eyes were eerily similar as well. That didn't matter now.

My entire family had been hurt by my leaving suddenly. I was fine by myself though. I thought as I set my pen down, content with my angry rant. _Is he a Superman or Super Jerk?_ The title read. I groaned and curled it into a ball. The light of my weak lamp bounced off my cramped dorm. I was definitely not living a life of luxury.

A knock on the door aroused me from my frustrated fog. I pulled myself out of my desk chair and cautiously opened the door. A nineteen year old boy in dark blue slacks and a light button down shirt stood before me. His black blue tinted hair was slicked back and his squinty blue eyes stared at me behind his chunky black glasses.

"Lois! I wasn't sure you were going to open the door." Clark Kent stuttered.

There were a lot of things I needed right now, but Kent wasn't one of them. Clark was another intern at the Daily Planet, and in my mind, a rival. Although Clark was not a very good rival as he was an awkward and bumbling person. He had moved from his hometown of Smallville, Kentucky to Metropolis to study a career in journaling like I had.

"What are you doing here Smallville?" I cocked my hip and raised an eyebrow expectantly. Clark blinked rapidly. He had been raised on a small farm, and definitely had the polite yes ma'am and yes sir thing going on. "I didn't mean to intrude; I just wanted to see how you were doing." He explained rapidly. I couldn't help but smirk at how he squirmed. "I'm fine Kent. Thanks for asking." I turned to close the door but Clark stuck his foot in to stop it from shutting.

I don't think I had ever seen Clark be so straightforward. "What?" I asked impatiently. Clark blushed.

"Do you mind if I come in?"

"I do mind." I answered.

Still Clark refused to move his foot. "Lois, something happened with Superman and you obviously got steamed." There was something so honest and familiar in his voice that made me drop my hand from the doorknob and step aside. Clark entered at looked down at his brown loafers. "Would you like me to take these off?" He asked politely. I shrugged. "There's really no reason too." I replied over my shoulder. Clark just nodded but looked a bit red in the cheeks. He was probably too much of a sop to have ever even been to a girl's house before.

"Mind if I sit down?" Clark gestured to a rickety old chair at the table. I nodded. "Help yourself." He sat and folded his hands patiently on the table. I came and sat down across from him, suddenly hyper aware that I was dressed in only a tank top and pajama bottoms. "I was there earlier and saw you kind of…well… erm… fight with Superman." He said awkwardly. I just swept my braid over my shoulder. "Yeah, did you hear what was said?" Clark nodded and waited for me to continue. "I just get so agitated!" I gushed.

"I grew up in army barracks, and I never let a single soldier take advantage of me. Then, I move to Metropolis and suddenly every Saturday I'm being kidnapped and thrown off of high places. I hate it!" Clark sat in a stunned silence. My face flushed. "I'm sorry, I just got emotional and-" Clark raised a hand and I fell silent.

"It's okay Lois, your human too. It must be something to be used as a pawn and I'm sorry it happened like that. But why is it Superman's fault?" I sighed and sunk lower into my chair. "It's not. But today, Mr. Boy scout who can do no wrong left me for dead. I don't know Clark, maybe I'm crazy, but I thought we almost had a…. connection. Then he just lets me fall to my death? I don't get it." I dropped my head into my hands. Clark surprised me by laying a warm hand on my shoulder.

"I get it Lois. Maybe you and Superman did feel something, but something happened today, and I think you ought to give him a chance." At that moment he looked like there was so much more that he wanted to say, but couldn't. "Thank you." I whispered.

This was all too strange. Clark Kent and I were seriously having a heart to heart in my dorm? Maybe I was dreaming. The moment passed and awkwardness set in. Clark cleared his throat. "We could go get ice cream or something?" He suggested. I shrugged my bare shoulders. "I'm not really up to it; it's been a rough day." Clarks face fell. "But I think a movie here would be fine?" He gave a small smile. "That would be lovely." I smiled and stood up to examine my movie case.

"What do you want to watch?" Clark came to stand by me, and I was amazed to see that he basically towered over me. "Anything works." He said as he scanned the titles. "How about we watch Breakfast at Tiffany's?" I laughed. "Okay, Aubrey Hepburn it is." I slid the movie into the ancient player before sitting next to Clark on the couch. Before long, the movie faded away and a peaceful darkness took its place.


	3. Chapter 3

_***Chapter Three***_

_POV: Clark Kent_

I looked over at Lois. The televisions light bounced off of her face, giving it an angelic glow. Lois really was beautiful, even if she was a bit headstrong. It had been awful sitting there, listening to her pour out her heart about Superman. If only she knew that he was sitting right across from her. I pulled my glasses off and rubbed my eyes. I didn't need them, but they made a nice disguise. As Clark Kent I might have been a tad bit fumbling, but as Superman there was a sort of cool confidence that I had never been able to have in my daily life.

The movie ended and the screen went dark. I didn't need the light though. Lois was still passed out next to me, arm lying on my lap and head against my chest. She acted tough as nails, but laying here I could see how fragile and vulnerable she really was as a human. As much as I missed Krypton, little moments like this made my time on Earth seem all the more worth it. I gently lifted Lois's arm and laid it down beside her. She shivered gently.

I looked around the dorm. There were no apparent blankets other than her bedding and there obviously wasn't a heater. I couldn't just leave her here. I carefully picked her up. Her head lulled gently on my chest. She was so light, so easy to break. I started towards her bed. I had held her many times before, but never as Clark Kent. I set her down and wrapped the blankets around her.

Lois muttered something but remained asleep. I wanted to kiss her, but I resisted. Instead, I gently smoothed down the hair that had escaped her braid before quietly backing away from her room and into the hallway. I groaned and leaned against the wall. Lois would never actually have the kind of relationship that I wanted as long as I was Clark. Superman she would go for, but a pushover from the middle of nowhere? There was no chance.

I started down the hallway and into the night air. Metropolis was getting safer with my help, but it still had a ways to go. I ducked my head and tried to concentrate on thoughts better than Lois nearly dying and thugs' threatening her with knifes or guns. I had honestly not known that Lois was in that plane. I would've helped her. But my senses were sharp as ever, even now I could sense a gang smoking joints a mile away. So why hadn't I seen Lois? I had been too late. Then there was Luthor. I knew he had a soft spot for Lois, he always had. So it made sense that he would rescue her. It still set my skin on edge though. Luthor, of all people, had done what I had failed to do.

I finally got to my own dorm room and pushed the door open. Surprisingly, a light was already on and a woman sat at the small table, facing away from me. As soon as I saw her, I recognized the thick, curly red hair and petite frame.

"Lana?" I asked; a bit shocked.

She turned, a smile already playing on her plump lips. "Clark!" She jumped up and wrapped her arms around my bulky frame. "What… How in the world are you here?" I asked.

Lana pulled back and held me at arm's length. "Jonathan and Martha told me you moved to Metropolis and I figured we could reconnect since I was moving here too." I blinked rapidly as I tried to take it all in. I should have known that my Ma and Pa would have told Lana where I was.

"So, you're living in Metropolis?" Lana grinned in even wider. "That's right. You're not the only one who can snag an internship." I squeezed her tighter. "Lana, that's great! Where are you interning?" She smiled sheepishly. "Just with some unknown fashion designer, it really isn't a big deal." Suddenly the mode became somber.

"Thank you Clark." She said quietly. "About what happened when I left…?" Lana's voice faltered. Lana had lived in Smallville, and had been my first girlfriend and one of the only people to know about my special abilities. However, our relationship had halted to a stop when she had abruptly moved to Paris with her father who had scored a teaching job. We hadn't spoken since then.

"I was upset over my mom's death and I-" I cut her off. "It's fine Lana. I know what it's like to lose a parent." Her face fell. "Clark, I'm so sorry." Because Lana knew of my Kryptonian ancestry, she would also know that my entire family and homeland had been destroyed. She smiled and for a moment I remembered why I had been in love with her.

Yes, Lana was aesthetically pleasing with her curly red hair, perfect white teeth and large amber eyes, but she was also kind as well as smart and inquisitive. She was kind of like Lois now that I thought about it. "Thank you for coming Lana. It's nice to finally resolve things." Her smile returned and she nodded. "It really is. Thanks for being so understanding." We finally released each other and I let Lana give me a once over. "Not bad Kent." She chuckled. "You've definitely gained some bulk."

She turned and checked out the apartment. "I hear that Metropolis has gained a new blue fighting machine." She turned to give me a mischievous smile over her shoulder. "Really, have you heard good things about this Superman?" Lana leaned against the sink and crossed her arms. "Mostly good … except for that one time when he let up and coming reporter Lois Lane almost falls to her tragic death." I felt my face flush. "I don't know what happened out there. I didn't even know Lois was on that plane. I would have saved her."

Lana thought for a second. "I don't know Clark. You senses can let you see a person's heartbeat, but you didn't notice a girl falling from a plane? It's not like you." I ran a hand through my hair. Lana gave me a reassuring smile. "I don't know and I'll help you figure it out." I gave a small smile. "Thank you Lana." She pushed herself off the sink and playfully sauntered over to me.

"Now, do you think that Superman would let me see his costume?"

I pretended to think for a moment. "That could possibly happen."

Lana gave a happy squeal and clapped her hands. "Close your eyes." I instructed. Lana squeezed her eyes shut while I went and retrieved my suit from where it was stashed. I set it gently in her hands.

Lana gasped. "It's beautiful Clark." She fingered the fabric. "You like it? It's made of a Kryptonian material, and is the last of its kind."

The suit was pretty impressive, with its sturdy plating in a deep blue color. A flowing cape hung from the back, as red as blood. A huge S had been embroidered in the chest and a pair of thick soled red boots completed the outfit. "I'm guessing the material is as invulnerable as you?" Lana guessed. I nodded.

"So, why did you put the underwear on the outside?" She asked. I shrugged. "No clue." Lana clicked her tongue. "I will never understand the species known as men." I changed the subject. "Is there any other reason you stopped by?" Being here with Lana in a friendly setting reminded me of how much I missed her and to be frank wanted her back.

"Maybe we could go on a date and you know, reconnect even more." I threw out. Lana looked almost pained. "Oh Clark, that's not why I'm here. I came here to reestablish a friendship, nothing romantic." I turned away from her to look out the window.

"I'm sorry Clark. I have a boyfriend and if things keep going, I think you might have a girl who's after your heart." When I turned to make a bitter remark I found the house empty, a still swinging door the only sign of Lana's visit.


	4. Chapter 4

_***Chapter Four***_

_POV: Lois Lane_

"Come on Sir." I begged.

All I wanted was to post one tiny add in the paper, I even had it already done. Chief-in-Editor Editor Perry White was the only thing in my way. Perry was rather like a bear, with his massive frame and huge hands. He tousled his graying brown hair. "I'm losing sleep over you Lane." He growled. "All of this damsel and distress crap and now this, an ad for Superman?" I groaned. "Come on Mr. White. If I can get an interview with Superman then everyone will be reading the Daily Planet."

Perry rubbed his stubble. "So, you suppose that Superman reads the newspaper? And that he'll actually show up at the Daily Planet and allow a rookie to interview him?" I bit my lip. That was the one part of my brilliant plan that I hadn't considered. "Well, basically." I tried to sound as confident as I could.

After an awkward silence Perry began to chuckle. The chuckle rose to a gut wrenching laugh. "You have guts Lane. Go ahead and put your little ad in the paper, but if you're wrong and the Daily Planet becomes a laughing stock it's on you head." I couldn't help but grin and enthusiastically thank Perry. "You won't regret it." I assured him as professionally as I could. He just scowled in typical Perry like fashion. "Now, go on before I change my mind!" I grabbed my bag and turned to leave, only to run smack into Clark's chest.

"Clark!" He gave a small smile. "Hey Lois, sleep well?" I might have turned a little pink in the cheeks. "'Yes, thank you. Are you okay?" I asked, noting the dark bags under his eyes. He frowned. "I just had a visit from an old friend that didn't turn out the way I thought it would." He said. I barely even thought about Clark's problem.

"Guess what?" I asked excitedly. Clark tried to smile. "What?" I held up the Perry approved ad. "Perry said that I could put an ad in the paper. It's going to ask Superman to come to an interview with me!" Clark looked vaguely intrigued. "So you naturally assume that Superman reads the newspaper?" I smiled. "If not then I'm dead." Clark adjusted his glasses. "I'm sure you're going to be fine. Now, I have an article to write." Clark politely excused himself.

I shrugged off Clark's dismissal and dropped off the ad. I practically skipped out of Perry's office. Even the coffee-ink- and smoke smell that was prominent in the Daily Planet didn't bother me today. Cat Grant, the scandalous gossip and fashion journalist, paused with her hand on Perry's door knob. "Well hello Lois." She purred. "You're looking….happy today."

Cat Grant was not a favorite person of mine. She was a bit of a, well, skank. Cat wore her long blonde hair teased and high, with at least one Bumpette. She was one of those people who were thirty, but acted and dressed like they were a teenager. That was pretty obvious from what Cat was wearing. She had on a tight white blouse, unbuttoned enough for her pink pushup bra to hang out and a clingy pink skirt that was almost so short it was nonexistent.

"I am happy Cat. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked through gritted teeth. Cat steadied herself on her black stilettos and widened her make-up coated eyes innocently. She could pay for all the oil in the world with the money she used on her flaky make-up.

"I was just asking Lois. Gee, you're so hot headed." I frowned. "And you're so plastic and fake." Cat winked and adjusted her bra. "My chest probably cost more than your entire savings account." She grinned. "Well, got to jet. Well bye-bye babe." She breezed into Perry's office. Jimmy looked up from his cubicle and rolled his eyes. I gave a small smile and a shrug. Jimmy stood up and walked over to me.

"Hey, Chief wants me to get some pictures downtown at the cannery. Want to come?" I thought for a moment. "Well, why not?" Jimmy grinned. "Good. Knowing you, something intriguing is bound to happen." I crossed my arms. "Can it Olsen." He grabbed his jacket. "I'm going to tell Chief and then we're off." Most of Perry and Jimmy's encounters ended up being comical, as naïve Jimmy constantly called Perry Chief, even when asked not to. A few minutes later Jimmy surfaced from Perry's office. "Thanks Chief!" He called over his shoulder. I bit back a smile as I heard Perry groan. "Don't call me Chief Olsen!" He roared. Jimmy blushed. "That's right! Sorry Chief!"

I grabbed Jimmy's arm and pulled him into the elevator before he could completely loose his internship. "What was that for?" He asked innocently. I snorted. "Jimmy, what really is your age?" He looked confused. "You know that I'm seventeen, only a year younger than you." I shook my head uncertainly. "Okay. I was just making sure." He smiled, having already moved on. Jimmy dressed like he was from a different generation, with his argyle vest, which was today green, and a red bowtie.

Jimmy's watch shined in the light. Superman had given it to be a signal watch, and it was used in emergencies to call Superman. Jimmy looked up, catching me frowning at his Superman embellished wrist watch.

"Oh come on Lois. Are you still cross with him?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes Jimmy, I am still 'cross' with him." I rolled my eyes. Where did the kid get his vocabulary, an old radio drama? Jimmy gave me a small smile. "Sometimes Lois, I don't know why we're friends." I pouted. "It's because I'm so hot." I said teasingly. I flirtatiously batted my eyelashes and gave Jimmy a sultry smile.

"Uh, I, umm" Jimmy stuttered. I laughed. "I'm obviously kidding Jim." He nodded, blushing so hard he was purple. "Lighten up!" I nudged him. He snorted. "It makes no sense. Lois Lane is _finally_ in a good mood."

The elevator doors slid open. I marched out, Jimmy tailing behind me. "Keep talking like that and I won't be mister." I called over my shoulder. Jimmy laughed and ran to keep up. I had long, and if you asked me awkward legs that I had recently grown into. My stride could definitely pass Jimmy's.

I paused at the curb and flagged a taxi. "Where are we going?" I asked. Jimmy pulled a rumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and scanned it quickly. How he saw through his constantly fogged horn rimmed glasses was beyond me. Jimmy sighed. "I have to get pictures at the city cannery." I frowned as I gave the Cabbie the destination. "Wow Jimmy. I'm sure glad that I left the Daily Planet to come with you to the _cannery._" I said sarcastically. Jimmy shrugged. "I told you where we were going Lois." He got a funny smile. "But like I said earlier, knowing you something adventurous is bound to happen." I rolled my eyes. "Jimmy." I sounded a bit like a reprimanding parent. He held up a hand in surrender. "What?"

I groaned as the cannery rolled into view. The flat, long building stretched down the road. It was a primarily grey paint chipped building and was now in vast disorder. After a decade or so of abandonment, it was clear that the canary had seen better days. "Why do you need pictures of this again?" I asked after Jimmy paid the cab driver and came to stand next to me. Jimmy shrugged. "Something about how chief, erm Perry wanted to show some of Metropolis's history." I nodded. "So, you got stuck taking pictures of something that nobody else cared about." Jimmy laughed.

"That's a meaner way of saying it." But I knew that Jimmy would still treat it with upmost importance. If he wanted to keep taking pictures of stuff like Superman then he would need to ace little things like pictures of canneries as well. Jimmy started to wander around and take pictures, muttering to himself about 'lighting' and the 'rule of thirds'. I on the other hand decided to keep myself occupied with exploring. I ambled around the crumbling buildings, poking and pushing on the old doors. They remained sealed and closed.

"How can I get in?" I quietly asked myself. By now, I couldn't even see Jimmy and thick clouds had moved in. With a sigh I leaned against the wall. No explorer Lois for me apparently. Suddenly, there was a loud crack and the wood behind me gave through.

My arms flailed as I tumbled backwards into the cannery. An old bit of information drifted through my head.

_The cannery is actually built underground as well, and the first floor you see above ground is really not the first story._

I shrieked as I fell, once again, towards the bottom floor of the cannery. Above me there was a dull light shining through the roof tops cracks and as the light got further away I couldn't help but think I might have been wrong about not needing Superman. Before I could further expand my thought I felt myself smack onto a concrete ground and blackness covered the roaring pain.


	5. Chapter 5

*_**Chapter Five***_

_POV: Clark Kent_

I angrily balled another piece of paper and tossed it in the trash. My ballpoint pen was practically glued to my hand with sweat and after an hour I was no further on my stupid paper about Metropolis dining then I was when I started. I blearily rubbed my eyes. After Lana had left last night I hadn't been able to sleep a wink, half off of embarrassment over Lana's rejection and also because of her last words.

_I think you might have a girl after your own heart_ bounced around in my head. She couldn't have meant Lois could she? I felt a little bad about brushing off Lois the way I did, but I wasn't sure what to say to her at the moment. The only way Lana could have seen Lois and I together was when I was Superman and Lois had, rather rudely, blown up in my face. Lana had left me a couple messages saying she was using her boyfriend's research facilities to dig into the whole plane situation, but I hadn't returned any of her messages yet. Only Lana Lang could turn you off so politely.

I took off my glasses and held them uselessly in one hand. Out of nowhere, a shrieking sound pierced my ears. I dropped my glasses. That sound was too high for a human ear to comprehend, and it only came from one specific thing. _It could only be Jimmy's signal watch_. Who knew what kind of trouble that kid had gotten into now?

Lois.

For some odd reason, Jimmy and Lois were partners in crime and when Lois was in trouble, Jimmy was around. I bolted out of my desk and over to Lois's desk, trying to mask my panic. Lois's chair swung around, empty and undisturbed. Shoot. I excused myself and rushed into the broom closet. Not exactly a convenient place to change, but it was the only place around that didn't receive a lot of attention from the bustling Daily Planet staff. I pulled on my suit and stashed my clothes behind a mop bucket. Thankfully, I was faster than a speeding bullet so I was able to rush from the office with the only trace of me being a couple of papers blowing in the wind.

I slowly expanded my vision, allowing myself to see a wider range. I filtered out everything but Jimmy Olsen. There. He was pacing around the old cannery, yelling Lois's name and ducking to avoid the flying metal objects. It had to be Hank Henshaw.

Hank was an astronaut who had died, and after his death he blamed me for the loss of his life and now, as a resurrected Meta he could control and occupy technology. So it made sense that he would target Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen in an abandoned place like the cannery.

_But where was Lois?_ I dropped onto the cannery grounds. Jimmy looked up from where he was crouching with his camera. Only good old Jimmy would try to take pictures of the masked menace who was trying to kill him. "Thank goodness Superman!" He called in a hushed voice.

I gestured for him to be quiet. He gave me a big grin and signaled a thumb up sign. I sped over to him. "What's going on?" I whispered. Jimmy's knuckles were white against his black camera. "Lois came with me to the cannery to take some pictures about old town Metropolis. I got kind of distracted and about a half an hour later this tech Meta showed up and I realized Lois was gone."

I sighed. "Do you think that the tech Meta, Hank Henshaw took her?" Jimmy shrugged. "Knowing Lois, it could be a number of scenarios." And that was true. I looked over to where Henshaw was wreaking havoc on the cannery. I stood up. "What did you do with Lois Lane?" I yelled over the clattering of the flying metal.

Henshaw paused and looked at me. I was caught off guard by how massive he really was. The fact that he was wearing my costume made me want to punch him all the way to China though. His half human- half cyborg- face sneered at me. The electronic side of my costume snapped and buzzed whiles the other half remained eerily still.

"Why it's Superman, my old friend." He boomed in his metallic voice. "It is very nice of you to finally make an appearance." To emphasize his statement he sent a huge piece of metal hurtling towards me. I easily caught it and set it down. "Enough with the theatrics Hank, where's Lois?" Hanks proud expression faltered for a second. "My name is Cyborg!" He hollered angrily.

I sighed. "Okay _Cyborg._ Let me ask again. Where is she?" I growled. Cyborg smiled triumphantly. "If by she you mean Miss Lana Lang, than I could assure you that she's on her way to being canned." He smiled evilly. He had Lana? "Why did you kidnap Miss Lang?" I asked him. His electrical side whizzed and whirred. "Why not, a hot new fashion designer is so much more fun than some reporter who I couldn't find anywhere."

Wait, he couldn't find Lois? Than where was she? Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to ponder as I would have liked as Cyborg jumped into the cannery. I turned to Jimmy. "Call the police to look for Lois!" I ordered. Jimmy nodded as I turned and jumped into the cannery via the hole that Cyborg had made.

I looked around the drafty old building. There was only silence. I slowly focused on Lana's image. A fragmented image of her tied on the cannery table popped up before me. That was just what I needed. I maneuvered my way through the cannery, arriving shortly where Lana was on the conveyer belt heading towards a vicious looking machine.

She raised an eyebrow. "Is this necessary?" She asked in an exasperated tone, apparently not fearing for her life. I just shrugged. I started towards her when a heavy chunk of metal smacked me in the head. I caught my breath as I saw stars. Cyborg stood triumphantly a few feet away._ Take care of Lana first. _I quickly decided. In a blur I reached Lana and untied her. Cyborg howled as I shot out of the cannery and dropped Lana a ways away. "You're my hero." She muttered sarcastically. "Not even thanks?" I panted. Lana smiled. "Okay, thank you _Superman_, I am forever indebted." I smiled. "That's better." Lana playfully hit my shoulder. "Now go!" She ordered.

I shot back into the air and smacked back at the cannery. Cyborg grimaced. "It's time to rumble!" He cheered. I delivered a bone shattering punch to his jaw. His head snapped to the side but the metal in him stopped the injury from actually hurting him. Cyborg rallied with a blow of his own and the next few minutes faded into a long period where I fought desperately while trying to avoid Cyborgs own attacks. "You can't last forever." He groaned. I smiled. "But neither can you." I planted my foot against his chest in a powerful kick that sent him flying into a back wall, completely causing the frame to crumble.

Water from the harbor began to pour in. As the liquid hit Cyborg, he began to shriek as he short circuited. I grabbed the limp villains shoulder and dragged him out of the flooding building and into the arms of the waiting cops. A man with graying brown hair and a wrinkled and haggard face eyed me warily.

"Thanks Superman." The cop said.

I smiled as I eyed his stomach, which had seen one to many doughnuts. "No problem Inspector Turpin." Dan rubbed his eyes and opened his mouth to say something when Jimmy Olsen came plowing into him. "Golly gee Superman!" He hollered. "I was looking for Lois and I saw that a part of the wall had caved in because of rotting wood, and I found this!"

He fumbled in his pocket for a moment before pulling out a black fountain pen. But it wasn't a normal pen; it was Lois's special pen. I had nearly gotten my head bit off once for touching it. I looked up at Jimmy. "Show me where you found it." Jimmy ran to a part of the cannery with me following behind. Sure enough, there was a hole in the drywall big enough for a person to fall into. I peered into it. Water was rapidly pouring in, and was already covering the bottom floor.

Without a second thought I dove in to the frigid water, shooting towards the bottom. Pieces of debris floated around me, blocking my vision. The water was flecked by little drops of red. I felt the metallic substance.

_It was human blood._


	6. Chapter 6

***Chapter Six***

_POV: Clark Kent_

I swept my arms around me, searching for a body. There was nothing. Panic began to rise. Where was she? She had to be here. That's when I saw the foot. I grabbed it and pulled it towards me. A body slid into view.

Lois.

Her eyes were closed and her skin was a sickly shade. Even a man who couldn't see people's heart beat would be able to tell that Lois Lane was almost dead. Not so close to death that she couldn't be saved though. I grabbed her prone body and dragged her to the cannery exit, trying to ignore the blood pouring from the back of her head. She had probably fallen and had unconsciously bled during the Cyborg fight. When the flooding started, she must have swallowed a vast amount of water. Her chances weren't looking to good.

I shot into the evening air, the sunset framing my body. I heard people gasp. "Get her to a hospital!" Someone yelled as I sped off. Within a heat beat I arrived at Metropolis Medical and had Lois on an emergency table. I politely averted my eyes as an EMT ripped her shirt off to try to bring her back. The young EMT carefully gave her CPR, trying to get the water from her lungs. I grasped her limp hand.

"Come on Lois. Hang on." I whispered. The EMT finally stopped. "The water has been emptied from her lungs." He said to a fellow paramedic. "She will be in need of some urgent surgery though to take care of the brain damage and bleeding." The EMT ripped her wet hand from mine and wheeled her away, barking orders as he went. I ran after them, dodging nurses and patient's alike. They took Lois into an operating room and slammed the door in my face. I sank to the ground. _I should have found her sooner._ I thought to myself as I fiddled with Lois's lucky pen.

A nurse in pink came up to me. "Mr. Superman?" She crouched down beside me. "Would you like a glass of water?" I shook my head dissolutely. "No thank you ma'am." She grabbed my muscly arm. "Will you at least sit down then?" She said gently. I allowed her to lead me to a chair across the hall from where Lois was. I sat there for what felt like eons but was really only hours. The same nurse in pink visited me a couple times. "You know honey, because their still in their means that she's still fighting." I sighed. "I just… I need to make sure she's alright."

The nurse chuckled. "You are devoted. Now, why don't you go and rest and if there's any news you'll be the first to know." I shook my head. "I need to stay." The nurse gave me a sad smile and stood. "It's alright Superman." She turned to leave. The night was uneventful. No one really came near me. Who wanted a grieving Superman?

Eventually Jimmy came crashing down the hall. He looked shocked to see me. "Oh Superman, you stuck around?" He exclaimed. I nodded. "Lois is in surgery for brain damage." Jimmy dropped into the chair next to me dejectedly. "I should have made sure she was okay sooner. If I hadn't been so caught up in my pictures..." His voice trailed off. I rubbed my eyes. "I know Jimmy. But its Lois, I mean she is old enough to take care of herself."

Jimmy nodded. "Yeah and I know that. But she's eighteen sirs. She lived on her own like a lot of eighteen year olds do, but Lois just has this knack for ending up in dangerous situations." I smiled. "Yes she does Jimmy. It's called curiosity."

Jimmy gloomily shined his camera with his vest. "I guess. I'm going to stay here though. It took forever for the police to finish interviewing me and after the doctors deemed I was fine they said I could come here." I flexed my ankle in my boot. "Yes. She's been in there for quite some time." Jimmy adjusted his glasses. "Oh and I almost forgot, but Miss Lang said she needed to speak to you when you were free." I looked up. "Lana did?" Jimmy nodded and got a dreamy look on his face. "Yeah, she's really something isn't she?"

I laughed bitterly. "You have no idea Olsen." Jimmy opened his mouth to reply but the opening of the surgery room door stopped him. We both jumped to our feet as a worn and tired surgeon stumbled out. "We've stopped the bleeding." He announced. "While Miss Lane will be fine physically, we're a bit worried mentally. It was quite an ordeal she went through." "Can we see her?" Jimmy blurted eagerly.

The surgeon removed his mask. "We're moving her to the Recovery room, but in a little while you guys will be able to see her." He announced as he wandered down the hall. A parade of doctors marched out of the room, wheeling Lois's bed with them. I could only see her unconscious figure for a second before she was gone around the corner. Jimmy grinned and wiped sweat off of his brow. "Here that? She's going to live!" He stretched his arms. "I got to go and tell the Chief!"

Without another word he turned to race down the hall in the opposite direction. Not thirty seconds after he left did a pretty blonde girl come running down the hall towards me.

"Where's Lois Lane?" She demanded. Something about the frank way she spoke and stubborn cross of the arms seemed familiar. "She's in recovery." I stuttered. The girl impatiently stamped her foot. "They told me she would be here!" She moaned. I raised a tentative hand. "May I ask who you are?" The girl seemed to remember I was there. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just out of my mind with worry. I'm Lucy Lane, Lois's sixteen year old sister." I shook her hand. That explained so much.

"It's nice to meet you Miss Lane. I'm-" Lucy laughed and cut me off. "You're Superman." She said. "I may live in the freaking middle of nowhere on an army base, but even I know who you are." She smiled. "Lois would be dead without you."

Lucy Lane was definitely beautiful, but in a different way than Lois. While Lois's dark looks seemed to make her look older and more mature than her age, Lucy seemed to be happy and care fee. She had long blonde hair that she wore straight with bangs that covered her china blue eyes. She was very much a teenager.

Lucy let out a girly giggle. "You are _so_ much more handsome in real life." She sidled up to me. "Lucy!" A gruff male voice snapped. Lucy jumped away from me as if electrocuted. An elderly man in uniform stomped down the hall.

He bore an uncanny resemblance to Lois. "What do you think you are doing young lady?" He growled. Lucy raised an eyebrow rebelliously. "I was just introducing myself to Superman here." She laid a hand on my shoulder. The man's scowl deepened.

"General Sam Lane." He introduced himself. "May I say that the people of America have been protected by regular, normal men for as long as this country has been independent. We didn't win the civil war with Meta help you know." He growled. I gulped. "Now, where in the san heck is my daughter?" I blinked rapidly. "Lois is in a recovery room after an extensive surgery." I explained. Sam slicked back the few strands of gray hair that he had left. "Well, are you going to take me to her or stand there forever?" He barked.

I started towards the recovery room. "Right this way sir." Lucy giggled as she followed me to the recovery room. I used my extended vision to peer through each wall. I finally found Lois's room. A woman was pacing in front of the door. She paused dead in her tracks when she saw us. "Sam?" She sputtered. General Lane grimaced as if recalling a painful memory. "Ella. What are you doing here?" He said the name Ella as if it was poisonous. Elle sneered. "Why, coming to see my daughter of course. I did give birth to her." Now that I looked closely I did see that she looked like an older Lucy, only with hair that was obviously died and cheeks puffy from Botox.

"It's a Lane family reunion." Lucy muttered to herself. Oh the poor kid. Her parents obviously didn't get along and her sister was headstrong Lois Lane. Sam and Ella proceeded to bicker with each other while Lucy awkwardly adjusted her pink shirt. "Hey, Lois is going to be fine." I patted her shoulder.

Lucy snorted. "Oh, I know that. Lo is too stubborn to die. I'm just worried that one of my parents is probably going to end up killing the other one." I couldn't help but give a little laugh. "Well Miss, I believe it would be my job to make sure that no one is injured or killed." Lucy gave me a tight lipped smiled. "Good job. I have to admit though that it so weird standing next to a guy who I see in gossip magazines." My brow furrowed. "I'm in gossip magazines?" Lucy gave a genuine laugh. "You have no idea." The door opened and Lucy stopped smiling.

An African American nurse stepped out. "Wow." She chuckled. "Miss Lane is quite the popular patient I see." She said kindly. "Enough of this funny business, can I see my little girl?" Sam snapped. The nurse reeled back but nodded and stepped aside to let the Lanes though. I paused. "May I go in?" I asked politely.

The nurse sighed. "Well, technically, no. But I know that you haven't left yet and well, you're Superman. I'm going to let you in solely so you can keep the Lanes from killing each other." I smiled. "Thank you…Uh..." I read her name tag. "Annabelle." She smiled. "No problem sir." In the small room, Sam and Ella were hovering anxiously over Lois's bed. Lucy was awkwardly standing by the bed's foot. When I entered, Lucy looked up worriedly.

I walked over next to her. A quick glance showed that all of Lois's vital signs were normal. She looked almost peaceful, besides the fact that there was a huge bandage around her head and she had multiple bandages from hitting the concrete. "That's my daughter!" Ella said awkwardly. Lucy rolled her eyes. "As if she can hear you mom, she kind of looks dead." She snapped.

I could tell it was a lot for her to see Lois like this, and to tell the truth it was making me queasy too. Ella's eyes flickered over to me. "Why isn't she awake?" She demanded to know. I bit my lip. "I'm not sure Miss Lane, but her vitals are normal." Ella nodded and looked back down at her bruised daughter. For a few painfully still minutes nothing seemed to happen. Then, Lois's eyelids began to flutter before slowly opening.

Lucy gave a happy gasp and everyone stood in silence while Lois regained her bearings. "What happened?" She murmured, more to herself than to anyone else. "You were in an accident sweetheart." Sam said in a surprisingly gentle voice. "There was an accident." She repeated numbly. Ella nodded sympathetically. Lois locked eyes with me.

"It's you." She whispered.

"Me?" I asked. Lois brought a shaky hand to feel her hand wrap. "You told me to hold on." I nodded. "When I saved you, I did tell you to hold on."

She nodded. "Thank you, but who are you?"


	7. Chapter 7

_***Chapter Seven***_

_POV: Lois Lane_

I watched a wide display of emotions played over everyone's faces. "Who am I?" The man asked in obvious confusion. Before I could reply, someone squeezed my hand tightly. I slowly, and rather painfully, turned my head. "Daddy, you came?" I whispered. He nodded his head excitedly. "Do you recognize anyone else?" I slowly looked around the room. "Of course I do." I said as faces began to click with memories. "Mom and Lucy are here." Dad smiled. "Good sweetheart." The rather attractive man in the tight, spandex suit looked shocked. "Good? She doesn't know who I am?" He boomed in his deep voice. For some reason there was a rather odd S on his chest, like some kind of symbol.

Mom frowned. "Stay calm dear. We'll figure it out." The man in blue and red nodded and bit his lip anxiously. "Is this a new wing of the base?" I finally asked. "I don't remember the army hospital being this big." Lucy's face paled under her makeup. Why was she wearing so much makeup? I looked over at my mom's hand which was still grasping my hand tightly. "What happened to your wedding ring?" I asked suspiciously.

Mom gasped and dropped my hand as if it was on fire. "Sam." She cried. Dad backed away towards the door and stuck his head into the hallway. "Nurse, come in here quickly!" He hollered. A pretty African nurse rushed in. "Annabelle." The attractive man said. I took a second to exam him. He had large cerulean blue eyes, flawless skin and black blue hair with a slight curl. Totally sigh worthy. "What's the matter?" The nurse, Annabelle asked. Mom pulled her into the corner where they whispered with hushed voices and extravagant hand motions.

Lucy eyed me like I had the plague. "What are you looking at Lu?" I snapped. She jerked and turned away. I met eyes with the handsome stranger. "And you are?" I asked expectantly. He seemed surprised that I was talking to him. "Oh-uh- I'm Superman." That would explain the giant S I guess. "You call yourself Superman?" I repeated dumbly. He nodded. "Okay then." Before he could reply, Nurse Annabelle came over and commandeered my attention.

"How are you feeling Lois?" She asked gently. "Uh, fine I guess. My head is hurting like crazy." Annabelle nodded. "As to be expected." She smiled and grabbed a clipboard from the wall. "Mind if I ask you some questions?" Some questions turned out to be at least a hundred questions about my life and memory. Yet no one would say anything about my supposed accident. Superman left about half way through, saying that he had business to attend too.

When Nurse Annabelle was done she ran a hand through her perfectly sculpted hair and stood up to stretch her legs. "Thank you so much dear, if you would excuse me for a moment." She gestured for my parents to follow her into the hall. Lucy was collapsed in a chair, texting like crazy. "You got a cell phone?" I asked surprised. Lucy looked unsure. "Yeah, when the di-" "That'll be enough." Annabelle, who had reentered the room interjected.

"Lois, your accident left more of an issue than we thought." She said gently. I frowned. "Okay, so what's wrong?" She sighed. "It seems that you can't remember anything past when you were thirteen."

I thought for a second. "What do you mean?" She set her clipboard down. "You retain all the information of the world around you, but all facts after your thirteenth birthday about your life or the people you know is gone." I sat in stunned silence. It made sense, why Lucy was wearing more makeup and had a cellphone. Why the man in blue seemed shocked that I didn't remember him. "How much have I lost?" I whispered. The nurse gave a sad smile. "About 5 years hon. Your eighteen now." That made Lucy sixteen. My baby sister was freaking sixteen years old. "This isn't happening." I muttered.

"Where am I?" I asked. Dad gave a tight lipped smile. "As soon as your birthday rolled around you packed up and left the base. You've lived in Metropolis for five months, being an intern at the Daily Planet Newspaper." He explained. Not even the fact that I had achieved my life long goal was enough to make this moment any better. "And your wedding ring?" I asked Mom sadly. She looked away for a second. "It was a few months after you turned thirteen. It was a mutual decision and you and Lucy didn't take it well." Lucy snorted from her corner chair. "That's one way of putting it." She murmured. Dad sent her a look. "I'm sorry dear." Mom said in a fragile tone.

I looked away. "Whatever. I never expected you guys to become just another statistic though." I said venomously.

The look on Mom's face said what no words ever could.


	8. Chapter 8

_***Chapter Eight***_

_POV: Clark Kent_

I was gone, erased from her memory as if I had never been there. I sat desolate on my couch, slumped over on top of myself as I had been for the last twenty-four hours. Nothing I could do would make Lois remember. How could she just forget me though? I mean, it was easy to forget Clark Kent but Superman? I don't think many people forget him. My phone buzzed from beside me.

_Jimmy Olsen._ The screen screamed. I picked it up. "Hello, this is Clark Kent speaking." I heard clattering on the other end. "Hey, Chief and I are going to see Lois, want to come?" I paused. There was no way that I would want to see Lois again, but if her supposed friend Clark Kent didn't show up to visit her than it would be a little odd. Not that she even remembered who Clark Kent was. "Sure." I finally replied. "Good." Jimmy chuckled. "I'm a little scared to see Lois not like Lois. Did you hear what was wrong?"

I nodded before remembering that Jimmy couldn't see me. "She has amnesia, but only about things after her thirteenth birthday." Jimmy gave a low whistle. "So, the divorce, Metropolis and us are gone from her mind?" I sighed. "That's basically it." Jimmy groaned. "And it's practically my fault." He said bitterly. "It's not." I protested. Jimmy was silent for a minute. "Well, I'll see you at the hospital in like, say five minutes?" I slowly stretched and stood up. "See you there." The trip to the hospital was actually ten minutes from my apartment, but because of my, gifts, I was able to make it there in approximately three minutes and seven seconds.

I waited anxiously by the main entrance. A few minutes later Perry came stomping over, Jimmy trailing nervously behind. "Mr. White, I'm surprised you came." I admitted. Perry looked at me sternly. "So am I Kent. Hey, I have a feeling Miss Lane will be a phenomenal reporter, and to be honest she reminds me a bit if my daughter." I couldn't help but smile. Perry was rough and tumbles, but it was clear that he really cared about Lois. "Is there something funny Kent?" He snapped. My smile faded and I bit my lip. "Funny? No sir." He gave a brisk nod. "Good. Now let's get this over with."

We pushed into the hospital. The overwhelming smell of antibacterial and elderly people rushed into my heightened senses. Jimmy led us to Lois's room. "Here you go Chief." He gestured towards the door. "It's in the middle of visiting hours." Perry got a pained smile and slowly entered Lois's room. She looked over. "Perry White?" She asked flatly. "Erm, ah, yes." Perry stuttered. Lois looked away. "Apparently you're my editor." Perry nodded as he came to stand by Lois. "I hired you as an intern, yes."

Lois hadn't even noticed Jimmy or me yet. She studied Perry for a moment before giving an incredulous sigh. "My editor icon and dream boss hired me and I have not even one drop of recognition of it." She sighed. "I hate myself right now." Perry awkwardly patted her hand with his large paw like hand. Lois noticed Jimmy. "Where'd they pick you up?" She asked blatantly. Jimmy's eyes were unnaturally large behind his glasses. "Wisconsin?" He asked.

Lois nodded as if it made perfect sense. "I'm Jimmy Olsen, a photographer." Jimmy explained. Lois rolled her eyes. "I know who you are idiot." Jimmy looked confused. "But I thought you had…" "Memory lost?" Lois finished. "I do, but people have been coming in all day to tell me about my life. Some skank named freaking Cat tried to tell me we were best friends." Perry snorted and Jimmy awkwardly adjusted his blazer. "You and Cat don't really get along." He suggested.

Lois smiled. "I figured." Jimmy grinned. "I heard that you were at my accident." She told Jimmy. He blushed. "Yeah, uh, you came with me when I went to take pictures at the cannery. I'm so-" Lois held up a hand. "It's fine Jimmy." She turned and accidently looked me in the eye. Her face lit up like the Fourth of July.

"You came back!" She practically squealed. My pulse quickened. Jimmy turned to look at me curiously. "What does she mean back?" He whispered. "I haven't been here yet." I lied. Lois shook her head indignantly. "Yes you have. I recognize that voice and the eyes." Lois giggled. "Where did the spandex suit go?" It was Perry's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"_Are you kidding, spandex?"_ He mouthed.

I shrugged. "I'm sorry Lois, but you must be confused. I'm Clark Kent, and I intern with you." Lois frowned.

"You're might be Clark Kent but you were here earlier, and you called yourself _Superman."_


	9. Chapter 9

_***Chapter Nine***_

_POV: Lois Lane_

I watched as 'Clark Kent' furrowed his brow. Perry White and Jimmy were looking at him shell shocked. "Kent?" Perry finally asked. Clark blushed and shook his head. "No Lois." He said firmly. "You must be confused." I just raised an eyebrow and smiled.

I get it; I mean who would want to reveal to the world that they ran around with their underwear over their pants and called themselves Superman? "Oh, you must be right." I lied. Clark sighed. They had showed me pictures of my co-workers, and Clark Kent had looked immaculate. Here though he had bags under his eyes and his hair was rumpled.

"So how are you feeling?" Jimmy asked to change the subject. I groaned. "That's the question of the year. I feel crappy, completely and totally crappy." Perry smiled. "That's a good girl. I swear Lane; you're going to give me a heart attack with all of your shenanigans." I smiled. "There's not much I can do in here. The nurse was hesitant to give me a pen because she was afraid I would accidently stab myself." Jimmy smiled. "Good old Lois."

The old part was right. I was way older than I remembered. "So I guess you and Superman are cool now?" Jimmy asked. Perry and Clark shot him a death glare. "What do you mean?" I asked suspiciously. Jimmy glowed beet red and stumbled backwards. "Uh I mean nothing." My eyes automatically narrowed warily. "Olsen. If you don't speak I swear I will get out of this hospital bed and strangle the answer out of you."

Clark eyed me with an amused glint. Jimmy sighed. "The thing is you actually would get out of bed Lois." He dropped into one of the chairs. "A while ago, you got kidnapped by some thugs and thrown out of a plane." He paused. "That's not the weird part; I mean it's pretty common. The thing that steamed you is that when they threw you out of the plane Superman didn't even attempt to catch you. Lex Luthor saved you, and you _hate_ Lex Luthor."

This piece of information surprised me so much that it didn't even register that I knew Lex Luthor. "He left me for dead? But he just saved me. I don't understand." Clark shrugged. "No one understands." "Huh." I looked out the window. Metropolis buzzed underneath me, not even caring that my entire world had been flipped and twisted in every direction. I turned back to my strange group of visitors. "Thanks for the info Jimmy." I put on a tight smile.

Jimmy nodded and excused himself before rushing into the hallway. "He's an awkward kid." Perry explained. "He practically had idolized you and Clark though." Clark looked up guiltily. "What did you say Mr. White?" Perry just shook his head and Clark returned to staring at the floor. Perry cleared his throat. "Okay then. I better go check on Olsen. Poor kid looked sick." I smiled.

"Thank you for coming Chief?" He raised an eyebrow. "Don't call me Chief." He excused himself. I turned to look at Clark. He was attractive in a nerdy way, kind of like a Superman without the super. "I know who you are." I finally said. Clark looked up calmly. "And who is that?" I gave an exaggerated sigh. "It's obviously Superman." I said in a voice that showed him exactly how I felt. Clark sighed and stood up. "Sorry Lois, but I'm no Meta."

Without another word he breezed from the room. I tapped the monitor on my finger against the bed railing. My life was crazy. I knew Kent was Superman, but how did I prove it? How would I adapt to my new life? I dejectedly picked up the ballpoint pen and notepad that the nurse had grudgingly gave me. As I wrote, my nerves slowly began to ease and I felt my tense shoulders loosen.

When the nurse came to give me my next dose of medication, I had run the pen dry. She chuckled. "You sure are a writer Miss Lane." I gave her a tight lipped smile and gestured to the stack of my published articles that Lucy had brought me. "That's what I've read." The nurse just put the medicine into the IV. I pulled anxiously on the cord. "Is such heavy medication necessary?" She nodded as she fiddled with the various tubes. "If you want to not feel the intense pain you should take it." I thought for a second. "I think I can handle the pain."

The nurse straightened. "Honey, you almost died. You are getting your pain medication." I couldn't do anything but wait for the pain medication to kick in. In no time at all I was napping and giggling as the medicine did its magic on me. I hated pain medication and feeling stupid, but man, it really does feel good when you're on it.

At one part of my delusion, I heard a swooshing sound and looked up to see Superman. He looked down at me, moonlight framing his figure. "Hey." I slurred. He got a funny half smile. "Hey, I was just checking in on you." I frowned. "You were here earlier Clark." I corrected. He sat down and grabbed my hand in his big one, slipping something into my fist. "No Lois. I'm not Clark Kent." I ignored him and focused on his swirling face. "You're very cute." I whispered. He looked embarrassed. "Both you and Clark Kent are. Your just so, so…" I got distracted and let my voice trail off into sleep.

When I awoke, he was gone, all that was left was a worn out black ball point pen that had been curled in my hands. In his place was my family. "Lois." Mother said flatly. After the whole divorce incident, Mom and I had been less than friendly. "Morning Mother." I replied. She practically growled. Dad's face seemed to yell _now you know why I divorced the witch._ "Your father has to return to the base, and I have important appointments at home, so we'll be saying goodbye now." She announced.

Lucy scowled at the floor. "What about you Lucy Caboose?" Lucy glared at our parents through eyeliner coated eyes. "Oh, well I'm being dragged back to a top secret army base in the middle of nowhere." She snapped. My heart panged. I knew what it was like to be stuck at army base.

"Lucy can stay with me." I decided aloud. "I'm going to be in need of a helper while I sort everything out, and Lucy is old enough to help me." Dad raised an eye brow. "Is she really now? Because before the accident, you were adamant that Lucy was too young to live in Metropolis with you." I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, and before the accident I knew who I was. Now, I don't and I'm pretty sure things are different." Lucy grinned, a megawatt smile at me. Mom sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"And, I think it is better that Lucy is with me, opposed to surrounded by men on Dads army base or forgotten about by Mom." Dad gave a sad smile. "Okay Lo, stay calm. Lucy can stay with you." Mom looked at him in shock. "That is happening under no circumstances!" She protested. Dad snorted. "You don't get that choice Ella. I have custody of the girls."

Mom stuck her nose into the air and marched from the room. "Bye mom. It was nice to see you too." I grumbled. Dad reached over and squeezed my hand. "Don't mind your mother Lois, she really does love you." He gave me a small smile. "I guess I should take Lucy to get organized in your dorm room."

I nodded and he gave me a small kiss on the cheek. "Have a speedy recovery solider." I just smiled. "Thanks Daddy." He nodded to Lucy and they left. I leaned back against the stack of pillows the nurse had brought. I would be out of here soon enough. 


	10. Chapter 10

*_**Chapter Ten***_

_POV: Clark Kent_

"Where are you going hot stuff?" I paused in my tracks. I slowly turned to find Lana Lang rushing to catch up to me. "I was going to work?" Lana grinned. "Not any more farm boy." She grabbed my arm and pulled me in the other direction. "I told Jimmy Olsen we needed to have a word." Lana said as we walked. I looked away. "Jimmy told that to_ Superman_ and not_ Clark Kent_." Lana groaned. "Clark, this isn't the time to be a smart aleck. I really need to talk to you."

She had a determined bounce to her step. "Okay Lana. What's the all-important news?" I crossed my fingers that it didn't involve her mysterious new boyfriend. "Like I said on one of my many unanswered voice mails, I've been doing research at my boyfriend's lab, and he used his connection to get me the plane."

I raised an eyebrow. "And then?" She paused for a second. "There was a vast amount of kryptonite on it." I stopped walking as well. "What kind of kryptonite?" Lana anxiously twirled a strand of flaming hair. "Remember when we used to live in Smallville?" She asked.

I looked at her strangely. "Of course I do Lana. That was my childhood home." Lana nodded. "Well, we encountered a few different types of kryptonite, but one always had a different effect on you." The pieces clicked together. "Let me guess, red kryptonite?" Lana gave a small smile. "That's exactly it. I'm sure that if I got my hands on the clothes that Lois was wearing that day we would find it highly prominent there."

We started walking again. "So, what does red kryptonite has to do with anything?" Lana pulled out her phone and began to dial. "That's what we're going to find out." She said as she raised the receiver to her face. "Hello." She said crisply. "We're in front of the Daily Planet and ready for pickup." Lana paused. "Thank you."

She clicked her phone shut. "Who was that?" I asked politely. Lana clicked her tongue. "Clark Kent, didn't your Ma ever tell you not to dig in other people's business?" I was half tempted to strangle her. "Lana. You said we, and as I'm the only one with you, I assume you means you and I. Now, would you like to tell me what _we _are doing?"

Lana laughed. "Stay calm superhero." She chuckled. "My boyfriend's driver is coming to pick us up to take us to the research facility where the plane is being stored." My spirits sagged at the mention of Lana's boyfriend. "You're boyfriend?" I asked flatly. Lana as least had the decency to look embarrassed. "About that Clark..." She laid a hand on my arm. I looked down at it and she awkwardly removed it. "Who is it Lana?" I asked with a forced calm.

Lana pinched her nose. "We met when I was in Paris. It was a chance meeting really. He used his, ahem, resources to help me score my fashion deal. There was just a connection."

I wished I could do more than watch her heart beat; I wanted to read her mind. A sleek, black Mercedes Benz rolled up to the curb. An elderly man jumped out of the car and opened the door for us. I allowed Lana to slide in before I followed suit. It was a beautiful car, but one thing really stuck out to me.

"Lana." I said tightly. "Why is this car covered with the Lex Corp symbol?" Lana sighed. "Now you know who my boyfriend is." I angrily hit the car door, leaving a hand shaped dent. Lana cringed. "Out of everyone you picked him?" I growled. Lana looked sick. "I'm sorry Clark. I love him, I really do." I stared out the window, watching Metropolis speed by.

"I get it Lana. But one day, you're going to see just how Luthor is, and you're going to remember that I warned you." Lana put a soft hand on my lap. "I know Clark, and I know you care. But I want to help you, and Luthor is the key." I nodded as my pulse went back to normal. "But wouldn't it be suspicious if Clark Kent began meddling in Superman affairs?"

Lana smiled, the moment temporarily lightened. "Yes. So, Lex is out of town so there's no reason for Lex to get worried. But if questions are asked, then I'll just say I brought you down so you can do an article for the Daily Planet." I grimaced. "I don't know Lana, I just don't like it."

Lana sighed and ran a hand over her perfect hair. "I figured Clark. But it's really the only option." I took a second to think. "Lex Luthor is a criminal, and if I accept health from him, then am I any better as a person?"

Lana's eyes were smoldering silently. "Lex is not a criminal." She spat. "And if you do not won't Lex's help, then don't take the offer. No one is forcing you to anyways." My cheeks reddened. "I'm so sorry Lana. I will do my best to support you and Lex, and I appreciate your help." Lana sighed and looked at me from the corner of her eye. "I hate you farm boy. Is there any way to stay mad at you?" I smiled, relieved at Lana's unspoken forgiveness. "No one's found a way to yet." I teased.

Lana opened her mouth to answer but suddenly closed it. I followed her glance out the window. The sleek car was rolling passed the LexCorp gate and logo. "We're here." I pointed out. Lana was pale and tight lipped. "What's wrong?" I asked. Lana shook her head as if waking up from a dream. "It is honestly nothing." She lied. I looked at her, watching her abnormal heart beat. "You're fibbing Lana." Lana nodded. "I am. Clark, Lex is gone, but what about Lionel?" I thought for a second. Lionel Luthor was Lex's father, and even worse than Lex. He was like a snake, with cold grey eyes that never seemed to blink and a sleek suit always pressed and in place. "Lionel's here?" Lana fidgeted in worry. "I don't know Clark, that's the thing." I nodded. "It'll be fine Lana. We'll work it out; I mean I am the Man of Steel."

Lana smiled as the car pulled in front of the titanium steel doors and the chauffer opened up the door. "We have arrived." He announced stiffly. Lana gave a gracious smile and offered the driver her hand for a moment. "Thanks again Basil." The old man simply tipped his hat. "Anytime or anywhere Miss Lang, just give me a ring." I climbed out of the car and looked at the gleaming building in front of me. Lana turned and looked at me determinedly. "Ready?" She asked. I sighed inwardly. "Ready."

Without another word Lana and I pushed into the shining world of Lex Luthor.


	11. Chapter 11

*_**Chapter Eleven***_

_POV: Lois Lane_

I sighed and surveyed the cramp dorm room that I apparently lived in. Lucy stood beside me, arms crossed across her chest. "You live in a dump." She said blandly. I glared at her. "Don't make me regret it Lucy." She sighed and adjusted a couch pillow. "Whatever." She turned to me. "Why are you standing? You were freaking injured Lois. Sit the heck down."

Lucy half guided, half shoved me onto the couch. "Smells like a wet dog." I muttered. Lucy groaned. "Don't tell me that, I have to sleep there. Do you know how many blankets we had to buy? Lois, you must freeze here." I shrugged. "How would I know any of that stuff?" Lucy stuck a stray piece of wispy blonde hair behind her ear. "Lois, why don't you just stay there and I'll run out and get some Chinese?" Lucy asked as she slipped on a windbreaker.

I snorted. "Luce, I may have amnesia but even I know that it's not safe for a sixteen year old to wander around Metropolis by themselves." Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Well Lois. You were only eighteen and you gallivanted around the city freely." It was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

"That's right. And I almost died. What would I tell dad? Oh hey Pops, Lucy ran off by herself to get some Chinese and got killed by some muggers. I'm so sorry. See you next Hanukah." Lucy giggled and for a second I was painfully aware that she was no longer the little sister I had left behind in more ways than one.

"I'm fine Lois." Lucy assured me. I mean anyways, Super hunks always around if I slip up anyways." I rolled my eyes." How old are you?" I asked in the most exaggerated tone. Lucy gave me a frighteningly devious smile. "I'm old enough to know when someone is a serious catch." My eyes popped out of my head. "You know what Lucy; maybe it would be best if you went to get dinner. If you stay, I might end up killing you." Lucy did a victory dance as she squeezed through the dorm door. I groaned.

There was one thing that my new experiences with Lucy were showing; I was not ready to be a parent. Not in the slightest. I fingered the edge of the ancient and fraying pillow that was rested on the couch.

_I am Lois Lane. I am eighteen years old. I live in Metropolis and intern at the Daily Planet. I have an interesting relationship with a man who calls himself Superman and there is a huge part of me that I cannot remember._

Satisfied, I closed my eyes and gently lifted myself off the couch. I groaned in pain as I steadied myself against the wall. I couldn't just sit here and do nothing; I had to rediscover my life somehow. I managed to pull a jacket on over my bruised ribs and hobble out the door. What sad shape I was in. The cold Metropolis air whirled around me, cutting through my coat and stinging my cheeks with fingers like knifes.

I saw a few people shoot me looks, but I was mostly able to avoid anyone throwing a fit. It's not like my mom was here anyways. She apparently was too wrapped up to be involved in my life. From what Lucy had told me though, it didn't seem like I had wanted her in my life much anyways. I had no idea where I was going, I'm sure that I had once knew the city but now it was as foreign as any new place.

As I hobbled down the street, I observed the people around me. Who were they and where were they going? Was the chubby man with the toupee and the limp going home to see his kids? Perhaps the overly made-up woman how was wobbling on her stilettos off to her next hair appointment to make her bleached blonde hair even faker looking. I lost track of time, happy to float down the street and let all of the people drift by.

My peaceful allusion was ruined through when I ran smack into a person, winding up on the ground. My aching ribs screamed in protest as I pushed myself up into a sitting position. A teenaged African American girl was on her knees, desperately trying to pick up the avalanche of loose papers before they flew off on the breeze. "I'm so sorry!" She gasped as she lunged for a strange sheet. "Yeah, so am I." I muttered. My butt was not enjoying the concrete. She turned to look at me. Her brown eyes glittered amber in the light.

"Natasha Irons." She stuck out a hand.

I let her shake my hands. She stopped collecting papers and looked at me for a second. "Hey, you're Lois Lane." She said as realization dawned on her. "That's me." I admitted. She smiled. "You did a piece on my Uncle John a few months ago." I racked my mind. "Who is your uncle?" She nodded. "Yep, John Henry Irons. You know the superhero Steel?" She asked.

I shook my head. "How could you forget?" Natasha cried. "You said it was the first actual interview you would have published!" I sighed. "No offense to you or your uncle Natasha, but I don't remember much of anything anymore." Natasha's eyes widened as she bit her lip. "Oh, that's right. I'm so sorry, I forgot about you're…. accident." I gave a tight lipped smile. "It's fine."

Natasha stood up and helped me gently to my feet. "You're mighty banged up." She remarked. The wind whipped her long dark hair into her mouth. I nodded. "It's a part of almost dying." Natasha laughed, and it wasn't a timid giggle either.

"Would you like to come with me to the Steelworks Lois? I'm sure Uncle John would have some great explanation about how to bring your memory back." I paused. I really should have gone to home where Lucy would be out of her mind with worry, but the temptation of having my life back was stronger. "Okay." I said uncertainly

. Natasha squealed and jumped up and down. "How old are Natasha?" She smiled. "I'm sixteen though. I just graduated from collage though and have already proven some serious algorithms wrong." Natasha had a strange way of speaking, where she would run every sentence and word together until they made one frenzied blur. She was like a teenage energizer bunny. "

That's fun." I said awkwardly as I tucked my jacket around my aching ribs. Natasha rambled on and on while we walked to the Steelworks. Would it work though, could her uncle help me remember? Natasha tapped my arm. "Lois?" She was looking at me in concern. I blinked rapidly. "Sorry, lost in thought. What did you need?" Natasha smiled, revealing white and straight teeth.

"I just asked if you wanted me to hail a cab. You look like you're in pain." I shook my head. "I'm perfectly fine." Natasha gave a small laugh as she went to hail a cab. "That's not part of almost dying." She teased. I shrugged. "Well then, as you wish." I slowly slid into the cab and let the smell of coffee and wet leather slowly embrace me.

"I'm new to Metropolis." Natasha said. I tried to give Natasha my undivided attention. "I'm from Chicago and after I graduated I went to college before coming to stay with my Uncle John. I really like Metropolis." She rambled. I smiled. "From what I've seen in the last few days, I do too." Natasha laughed. "We already have something in common!"

The cab rolled up to the curb and paid the cabbie because in all, it was me who had needed the cab. I followed Natasha onto the cement. I looked up at the impressive building where the steel archways gleamed with their own polished light. "It's nice." I remarked to Natasha. She waggled her eyebrows. "Of course it is. It's the home of a superhero!" I laughed. "You can tell."

Natasha impatiently tapped her foot. "Can we go in now?" She asked. I nodded. "Let's go." Natasha grabbed my arm and tried to lead me. I gasped in pain and Natasha dropped my arm like it was on fire. I held up my hand before she could give me a five minute speech about how sorry she was. "It's fine. Let's go." I instructed. Natasha blushed and nodded, silent for the first time since I had met her. She pushed into the Steelworks lobby and I caught my breath.

Natasha gave a confident smile. "I know right? Welcome to the Steelworks."


	12. Chapter 12

_***Chapter Twelve***_

_POV: Clark Kent_

I looked around the impressive marble lobby. Lana sighed and ran a hand through her hair; a habit I know realized she had when she was nervous. Miss Lang and one guest please." She said to the gum snapping secretary behind the counter.

The woman looked on the computer before holding out a small pad. "Finger prints?" She asked. Lana rests her thumb on the pad and a white light scanned it before blinking green. "Clear." The secretary said. "Your friend has to do it too." She looked at me.

I awkwardly held out my thumb and the lady scanned it. "Mr. Clark Kent, am I correct?" She asked. I nodded. The woman handed Lana a pass and me a visitors pass. "Thank you." She said before turning and focusing back on her computer screen. Lana led me into an elevator and let the doors slid shut. Before I could push a button, Lana slid her pass into a small, almost invisible slot. The machine beeped and a laser shot out and read Lana's eyes. "Lana Lang." She spoke plainly into the 1st floor button. It lit up and suddenly the elevator speed increased. The numbers on the screen ticked down, past one and eventually stopping on level -50.

I gave a low whistle. "You really have to have -50 levels? That seems like a bit of overkill." Lana nodded. "You're not supposed to be here Clark. Just stick close to me and don't mess with anything." I nodded. The doors slid open and Lana clicked into the hallway. The dim fluorescent lighting washed out the white tiling, giving everything the look of a hospital or mental asylum. The click of Lana's heels was the only sound beside the whispers of hush and slight hum of the lights.

The Hallway seemed to stretch on forever, but after a few minutes Lana stopped at a white, blank door. "Here we are." She announced as she punched some letters in a keypad. "How do you know about this?" I asked her. She shot me a look. "I mean, did Lex just hand this information over?"

I whispered. "I'm nineteen, and Lex may be twenty, but he is still very much a boy." Images flashed in my head, images that I wished that I had never had to think about. While I restrained from barfing, Lana went through all of the searches and codes to unlock the door. Finally, the door clicked open and Lana and I pushed through.

The 'room' turned out to be more of a large aircraft hangar than a room and in the middle was the airplane. I examined the mass of metal. While intact, it was dented, scratched and pummeled beyond recognition. "You did a number on this one." Lana laughed. I ignored her and carefully rubbed the sharp edge instead. Not that it could hurt me though. The image of Lois bundled up on the floor was enough to make me wince though. "Why does Lex have this?" I asked through gritted teeth. Lana sighed. "He certainly paid a hefty price."

I frowned and jerked my hand away from the plane. I didn't want anything to do with Luthor. Lana sensed my feeling and cleared her throat. "So, if you would just come right over to this table." She led me to a long metal table. "The ropes that Lois had been tied up with made a great example for me to experiment on." She said while she slipped on plastic gloves and gave me a pair. I fumbled to get my large hands into the gloves. Lois took a piece of paper and a tube of red liquid. "

Turn around Clark." She instructed. I turned and heard a gentle slosh of liquid. "Okay, you can look." I turned to look at the table. There was a tray on the table and Lana was holding a wet paintbrush, but that was the only visible change was the lack of paper. "What did you do?" I asked.

Lana smiled. "Where's the paper Clark?" She asked. I had senses far beyond any human, but when I searched for the paper I only saw the hangar. "I can't see it anywhere." I admitted. Lana grinned and set down the tube and paintbrush on the tray. She then gently pantomimed picking something off the tray with tongs. "We're playing Charades?" I asked.

Lana glared. "Shut up until I explain everything." She pulled a jar of clear liquid out and dunked the empty tongs in. Suddenly, the tongs weren't empty anymore but instead holding a piece of paper. My face paled. "The red kryptonite…." Lana nodded.

"It just has to affect you in another way doesn't it? This strand of red kryptonite is completely excluded from your senses; it's basically not even here to you." I thought about all the different possibilities. "If a criminal got their hands on it, they could basically do whatever they want without you catching them." Lana said, voicing my thoughts and fears. "So what will we do?" My question hung in the air for a moment.

Lana opened her mouth to open when the door slid open and a woman slid in. At first she didn't seem to see us, and then her face morphed into anger. Lana's eyes widened into flat discs and her breath caught. The woman was dressed in a tight fitting chauffeur's jacket with a tight and rather short black skirt. Her black heeled boots snapped like dogs as she clomped over to us. The woman's driver hat was perfectly place on her chestnut hair and when she looked at us her brown eyes showed only hatred.

Her narrow red lips pursed. "What are you doing Miss Lang?" She growled. Lana struggled for breath. "Who are you?" I asked. The woman raised a thin and perfectly plucked brow.

"My name's Mercy Graves." She snapped. "I'm the personal assistant and bodyguard to Lex Luthor."


	13. Chapter 13

_***Chapter Thirteen***_

_POV: Lois Lane_

After I entered the hidden part of the Steelworks, I wished I had never come. After Natasha had gone through the necessary safety precautions, she had goaded me into the huge area. The room had high arching rooms and spacious floors. "Welcome to the Steelworks." Natasha gestured around with a flourish. Scraps of metals and piles of wires littered the floor everywhere and half-finished projects covered every available space. "Have I been here before?" I asked Natasha in shock.

She just laughed. "NO. Uncle John was interviewed at the Planet." I nodded; I couldn't imagine forgetting a place like this. "Do you have a phone I could use?" I asked Natasha. She held up a finger while she rummaged through her small bag. "Here you go." She handed me some new technology laden phone. I managed to dial the phone number Lucy had wrote on my arm and waited while it rang. Eventually I heard a click and Lucy's voice flooded out. "Hello?" She seemed anxious. "Luce! You answered." I exclaimed.

I heard her groan. "Lois Joanne Lane, I am going to _KILL _you." Lucy exclaimed. I gulped. _She's only sixteen._ I reminded myself. "Lucy," I began before she cut me off. "No. No. No. NO! You cannot just wander off as you please!" I held the phone away from my ear and cringed. "Lucy Lane, I am perfectly fine. I'm better than fine actually." She sighed. "And why is this?" I smiled to myself, pleased that she had stopped screaming. "I'm at the Steelworks to meet with John Henry Irons. His niece, Natasha thinks he can help me." I paused and waited for Lucy to respond. "Well, I guess I'm eating Chinese alone then." Lucy said.

I couldn't help but think that her tone sounded slightly hurt. "Well, have fun." Before I could respond, the line went dead and I lowered the phone in bewilderment. "Is everything alright?" Natasha raised a dark eyebrow. I nodded. "I think." She smiled. "Good, then let's find Uncle John!"

Natasha began picking around the rubble, gracefully skipping over sharp edges and over abandoned nails. With my injuries I was not half as graceful though. I tripped over a wood plank and nearly impaled myself on a rusty saw. Natasha flicked her raven colored hair over her shoulder as she looked back. "How are you holding up?"

I flashed a smile and Natasha went back to her intricate dance around the random piles. When I finally got to the metal door Natasha was already opening it. She paused with it cracked open and rapped on it. "Uncle John?" She called. There was scuffling and the door opened. A massive African- American man filled the entire entry way and practically towered above me. His shaved head was large and gleaming in the stark lighting and his chocolate muscles bulged out from under his thermal and lab coat. He rubbed his abnormally large hands together.

"Natasha." He growled. "What is Miss Lane doing in our _top secret hideout?" _ He growled. For someone his size, his voice was exceptionally smooth and deep, like a baritone floating around the room and filling my ears. I tried to stutter an answer while Natasha pulled a lab coat off of a peg outside of the office door and slipped it on.

"She has memory lost." Natasha explained. "And I was thinking we could try out the new invention on her to make her memory come back!" John Henry rubbed his face with dark hands and sighed. "It's not stable Natasha. You know this." She sighed. "It IS stable though. I tested it." Natasha moaned. John disapprovingly clucked his tongue. "Did you now, after I had deliberately told you to wait?" Natasha opened her mouth to protest but John held up a meaty finger to silence her. "Not in front of Miss Lane." He ordered. She nodded.

I tried to find my voice. "Lois will do." I suggested. John Henry Irons looked down his nose at me. "Yes Miss Lane, I know your name." I nodded and ducked my head like a scared animal. He gave a rumbling laugh from his chest. "What happened to the iron willed reporter to be?" He chuckled. I looked up, accepting the challenge. "She hit her head and forgot her life." John smiled. His teeth were as white as Natasha's. "Well then, are you actually willing to try Natasha's crazy invention, _Lois?_" I gave a small laugh. "I guess."

John's eyebrows arched. "You will?" He asked incredulously at the same time that Natasha squealed "You will!" I nodded, a little less certain of my choice. She ran over and pulled over on a lab coat that was identical to John's. Meanwhile, John went over to a cluttered workspace and began rummaging through the various inventions. Finally, he pulled out a small circle and a cord. "Come sit down." He instructed. I hopped onto the stool, my feet swinging of the ground like a little kids would. John applied a thick cream to my forehead and attached the small circle to my forehead.

"Basically, we are going to deliver an electric shock that's going to open your brain's whole capacity for a moment before opening the specific part that I set the dial to." He fidgeted with some knobs. I gulped, suddenly a lot less sure of my choice. "Did you say electric shock?" I squeaked. John chuckled. "Yes I did. Would you like to not go through with it? It's okay if it's too much." I tried to raise my voice to its normal timbre.

"No, go on ahead. I'm ready for anything." I smiled with as much confidence as I could muster. John turned back to the machine. "Okay, hold still and take a deep breath." He instructed. I complied, feeling my hands shake gently. "Now I'm going to go in 1….2…..3!"

John pushed the lever and my entire body went numb as electricity flowed through me.


	14. Chapter 14

_** ***__**Chapter Fourteen***_

_POV: Clark Kent_

Mercy's eyes were narrow and unblinking like a snake. She watched us unwavering. "Miss Lang." Her voice was as hard as ice. "Now that we've finished the introductions may I ask why you two are down here?" She kept her tone professional, removed and monotone. "I just had some questions about the plane crash that almost killed Miss Lane, and Lana here is a good friend and-"

Mercy held up a hand and I stopped talking. The black buttons on her chauffer coat gleamed in the light and not a hair on her head moved. "I've heard enough. Both of you need to remove yourself from the premise immediately and Mr. Luthor will be alerted." She turned on a boot heel. "And I mean now." Lana and I both scrambled over to the door. I tried to walk slowly to the door, keeping my calm as I could practically feel Mercy's eyes boring into my back.

As soon as we got into the elevator Lana sagged against me. "Oh gosh Clark, I'm so sorry!" I smiled and lifted her back to her feet. "It's fine Lana, you couldn't have predicted what happened." She shrugged, suddenly acting like she was interested in her reflection on the shiny door. "I should have been more careful." I gave a small laugh. "We all make mistakes eventually." Lana peered at me from the corner of her eye. "Even a hunky Kryptonian?"

I furrowed my brows. "I don't know any, but I'll tell you when I meet one." Lana playfully slapped me and I feigned injury. Of course, nothing she could do would physically affect me. The elevator door slid open and Lana and I exited into the hallway, Lana's pumps clacking against the floor.

We pushed out into the cool air, Lana shivering lightly. I slid my jacket off, wrapping it around her shoulders. She tried to shrug it off but I held it in place. "Don't." I insisted. "The cold isn't as bad for me as it is for you." Lana thought for a moment. "Well in that case…." She slid the jacket back on. After a moment she crinkled her nose. "Really Clark, couldn't you have put on better cologne?"

I shot her an incredulous look. "Oh sorry Lana, in all of the stress of being Superman I somehow forgot to put on expensive man perfume, silly me." Lana just rolled her eyes. "For a superhero you're very dramatic." She observed. I shrugged. "Well how dramatic are superhero's supposed to be?" Lana paused to fix her heels. "I don't know. Gosh, my feet are killing me." She moaned.

I looked down at her. "What, do you want me to carry you?" She pretended to look aghast. "Clark Kent, I have a boyfriend and if you even think about laying a hand on me, I swear I will-" I swept her up before she could finish. Lana laughed. "What am I going to do with you?" She muttered. I pretended to drop her. "Not really sure." She just rested her head on my chest. "I don't want to call a cab; do you think you could…?" I raised an eyebrow. "You always get sick when I go at blur speed. Are you sure?" She nodded. I took a deep breath and sped away.

To an average person I wouldn't even be seen, only a wind that quickly sped by. Everything around us passed in seconds but I could see Lana. And she looked green. "Please don't barf." I begged her. She didn't answer, instead choosing to squeeze her mouth closed. A moment later we were in an abandoned alley and I set Lana down.

She wobbled a little but managed to keep her food down. "Thanks." She grumbled. I took a few cautionary steps away. In my pocket my phone began buzzing. I fished it up, checking the caller ID. It was an unknown name. "Hello, this is Clark Kent speaking." I heard a teenage girl groan. "Ugh, thank goodness. I didn't think you were going to answer." I tried to place the voice. "Lucy, why are you calling me? Is Lois alright? How did you get my number?"

Lucy was silent for a moment. "I got your number from Jimmy and I'm calling because of Lois. She said she went with Natasha Irons for help and I didn't know who else to call. I know you're a friend from the Daily Planet though." Friend was a sketchy term.

"Okay, Lucy, well where are they?" There was a slurping sound. "Sorry." Lucy gave an awkward laugh. "I'm eating. Okay, she said she went to the Steelworks… if you know where that is?" I gave Lana the one minute sign. "Uh, I actually do." Lucy sighed in relied. "Thanks Clark." The line went dead with a click.

Lana cocked her head. "Lois?" She asked. I nodded. "She's not in trouble though; at least I don't think she is." Lana chuckled. "Well, duty calls." Lana turned and stalked down the alley towards the bustling street. "I'll call you." She called over her shoulder. I just shook my head and set off towards the Steelworks. I knew the way very well from being Superman, but Clark Kent didn't often stop by. I slipped into the lobby unknown and sped into my costume and was out in a flash. I pushed the button. "It's Superman, I'm just going to let myself up." I followed all of the security protocol I had been taught and pushed into the elevator. Hopefully Lois wouldn't recognize me as Superman again.

When I entered the Steelworks it was even messier than usual with John barking at Natasha while she ran around grabbing things. They didn't even notice me as I closed the door behind me. John was fidgeting with a machine that was hooked to…. Lois. Her eyes were open wide and her skin was even paler than usual.

"Don't worry." John assured her. Lois's hair gently lifted with electrical currents. She remained still, eyes darting side to side. "What is happening here?" I asked. Natasha stopped dead in her tracks, dropping a pile of wires. "Lois wanted her memory back and we had this new invention that was supposed to shock her into remembering but we don't know if it works because she went numb and can't move." I waited for her to breathe. "It's good to see you too Natasha. Can I go over there?" Natasha nodded and started picking up wires.

I walked over to Lois. John turned a knob and the electricity began to weaken until it faded away. Lois fell forward and I caught her. She licked her dry lips. "Thanks." She croaked. I gave her a Superman smile. "It's nothing Miss Lane, how about we don't try electrocution to solve problems again though." Lois gave me a small smile. "It's a deal." I helped her to her feet.

Natasha looked at her like a puppy starving for attention. "Did it work?" She stood on her toes. Lois thought for a minute. "I can't remember anything new!" She groaned, dropping her head into her hands. Natasha sympathetically rubbed her back. "I just got electrocuted, freaking electrocuted, and I still don't remember anything." Lois jumped up and began to pace unsteadily. "Why can't I remember? Maybe I'm just not trying hard enough." Lois squeezed her eyes shut and practically shook from the effort.

"Augh!" Lois yelled and she dropped to the floor. "Why didn't it work?" I cautisouly moved over to comfort her. "Hey, we'll figure it out." I gently assured her. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her face. "Steel. John freaking Steel couldn't fix it. So who can?" I shrugged. "There's gotta be answers somewhere." I sighed. "I know Lois, and I will do my personal best to help you find them."


End file.
